[How to] Transfer Contacts from iPhone to Android and Vice versa

For many of us, the biggest headache after buying a new phone has to be the transfer of private data like Contacts, Mail, Messages etc. Today, we are trying to address the contacts part, specially for those who are switching from Android to iPhone or other way around.

Transfer Contacts From iPhone to Android

Ready to make a switch from iPhone to Android? Good for you, but how do you import all your contacts from the iPhone to the Android? Since the iPhone doesn’t have the native option to copy your contacts to the SIM card, only by installing apps such of SIManager, we found a few alternatives to make the migration easier with no loss of data. To transfer your contacts from the iPhone, you have 3 options: sync your device with Google Contacts, Sync with Windows and Google or use the Sinkontact app.

1. Sync with Google Contacts

In order to sync with Google Contacts, you have to follow these easy steps:

connect your iPhone or any other iDevice via USB to your PC

open iTunes, select your phone and click the info tab

check the Sync Contacts with option and select Google Contacts from the drop-down menu

click on Configure and enter your Google username and password, provided that you have one already

After doing this, your contacts are safely stored inside your Google Account, ready to be downloaded to your new Android phone, with only a few steps to be followed:

taping on the Google account will open sync options, where you have the possibility to sync Contacts, Gmail, Google Reader, Picasa and Google Calendar.

Now, just back and enjoy your new Android smartphone with all your contacts from the iPhone. Some will say that switching sides with the Android army was a good thing to do while others will call you a traitor. Good thing you get to keep your contacts safe and sound in this “cruel” smartphone battle.

2. Create a CSV File

If you want to sync your contacts first with Windows then with Google Contacts, the process is a little complicated, you will have to create a CSV file, so bare with me please. This is how you do it:

follow the first 3 steps of the Google Contacts from above, except, instead of Google Contacts, select Windows Address Book

open Windows Address Book (you should see here all your contacts, if not, try restarting the app and/or Windows)

click File -> Export -> Other Address Book -> select text file

select a name for the CSV file and scroll down to Mobile Phone and select it, also you have to do is select the information you want to export of the contacts and browse the location of the CSV file

access your Google Account, and go to Import, browse your computer and provide the CSV file you created

after importing your contacts to Google, just sync them with your Android device like before

While this method is not the simplest of them, it is the safest way to do it.

3. Use Synkontact

The last method of transferring your contacts from the iPhone to the Android is a cool little app called Synkontact. The process of transferring the data is easy and it takes just a few minutes:

the contacts are uploaded and a password is provided, save the password

enter from your Android device (you have to install Synkontact of the Android phone), select download and enter the name and password

select merge into local, tap OK and you are done

This process only takes a few minutes, but on the other hand, I don’t like the idea of uploading my contacts to a unknown server, it just depends on everyone’s needs. These methods were all tested and all of them work fine. So, if you are thinking of going Android and you didn’t know how to get your contacts from one iPhone over to the Android side, now you know!

II. Switch Contacts From Android to iPhone

If you have an Android phone and you choose to get a iPhone, you can transfer your contacts to your new phone by doing the reverse of the iPhone to Android methods. It would be non-sense to list them once more. There are also methods that work only one way.

1. Copy your Android Contacts to a microSD Card

open Contacts on your device

go to menu and tap Import/Export

the phone saves your contacts with the default name 00001.vcf and it stores it in the root folder of the microSD card

connect your Android device to your PC and select Mass Storage

copy the 00001.vcf on to your PC and you are ready to Import it to Google Contacts or MS Outlook

from here, you can import the contacts to your iPhone via iTunes

2. Upload to Outlook or Google

Importing the contacts is very easy on the iPhone, after you have uploaded them to Outlook or Google. Again, don’t think of all those Android lovers that might “hate” you for your move. Who knows, maybe you love diversity and you have both an iPhone and an Android smartphone, right?

open Settings on your iPhone

go to Mail, Contacts, Calendars

tap Add Account and select Google or Outlook

fill in the Email Address, Domain, username and password -> tap Next -> enter server name (m.google.com for Gmail Account) -> tap Next

tap to ensure that Contacts is set to On

And you are done! The contacts are now on your iPhone. Also, remember, there shouldn’t be any hard feelings when switching sides. It’s better to experiment how Android or the iPhone feels and performs than to say you don’t like it because you are to afraid to try it.